Field installable fusion-splice connectors that require dedicated fusion splicers for installation have been developed. One type of fusion splicer is designed for a fusion-splice connector using a stub optical fiber in an extended length ferrule. The extended length ferrule has a notch or hole cut near the middle where the fusion splice is made. The stub optical fiber ends at the notch or hole and the field fiber is inserted into the opposite end of the ferrule for fusion splicing with the field fiber. Simply stated, the fusion splice occurs at the notch or hole near the middle of the ferrule. In other words, the bore of the ferrule serves as the alignment member for the fibers to be joined, which eliminates the need for aligning V-grooves in the splicer, and allows a very short overall length finished connector (i.e., a length similar to a conventional epoxy/polish connector). Another type of fusion-splice connector uses a standard length ferrule with a short optical fiber stub that protrudes beyond the ferrule end. This type of fusion-splice connector has a special connector housing that surrounds the fusion splice for protecting the same. Thus, the overall length of this type of fusion-splice connector is longer than other fusion-splice connectors, making it bulky and difficult to route or store by the craft. Further, both fusion-splice connectors described include multiple components that must be installed in the field to complete the connector.
Fusion-splice connector designs have attempted to use a standard fusion splicer and eliminate the requirement of a dedicated fusion splicer, but have encountered difficulties meeting all of the requirements for the assembly. One such fusion-splice connecter design for use with a standard fusion splicer includes an extended length body to house the fusion splice, which allows for a long length fiber stub that can be used with standard splicing machines. In other words, this fusion-splice connector design uses a long optical fiber stub for working with the V-grooves on a standard fusion-splicer chuck to align the fibers during fusion splicing. These V-grooves require about 10 millimeters of bare optical fiber stub to extend from the ferrule or connector subassembly for fusion splicing. After fusion splicing, an extended length connector backshell or crimp body is attached for strain relieving the fiber optic cable. The added length of these fusion-splice connectors makes it difficult, if not impossible, to pass all of the Telcordia performance requirements. For instance, optical transmission under applied load is difficult to pass, due to the added moment arm of the longer connector body. Additionally, the extended length of this fusion-splice connector will not pass the Telcordia requirements for overall connector length. Moreover, these fusion-spliced connectors also have a large number of parts that must be installed in the field by craft, thereby making installation cumbersome.
Accordingly, there has been an unaddressed need for a fusion-splice connector that solves the problem of connector length/size with a simple design having fewer parts requiring assembly by the craft using a standard fusion splicer.